Military Law Terminology

noun a state of being deserted or abandoned

• The soldier was charged with desertion after leaving his post without permission.
• She was devastated by her friend's sudden desertion when she needed support the most.
• I can't believe he pulled a desertion on us like that.
• The desertion of customers from the store was evident after the new competitor opened nearby.

noun a person who is not present at their designated location or duty without permission

adverb without permission or authorization

• The employee was found to be absent without leave for three consecutive days.
• She's been AWOL for a week now, no one knows where she is.
• He's gone AWOL again, probably out partying.
• The cat went AWOL for hours before finally returning home.